Radial Actuator Routing Support and Associated Magnetic Bearing Module

This application claims priority to French Application No. FR2406075, filed Jun. 10, 2024, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

The present disclosure concerns a magnetic bearing module that includes a radial actuator.

The present disclosure aims to constitute a magnetic bearing module that includes a routing support for a radial actuator.

A magnetic bearing module in a system, such as an industrial machine, typically includes a radial actuator, one or more other actuators, and a position sensor.

Routing the cables on a support coupled with crimping these cables using an insulation displacement contact allows the circuit of a radial actuator for a magnetic bearing to be created quickly and easily while guaranteeing electrical isolation.

To meet the aforementioned conditions, two wiring methods are typically used: connections made manually, known as splices, or using a printed circuit board (PCB).

The method of manually splicing enameled wires to cables or enameled wires to each other requires intermetallic soldering, an insulation step, and a manual mechanical positioning step, followed by one or more varnish impregnations for bonding and electrical insulation of the assembly, then cleaning of the mechanical interfaces for positioning the assembly in a magnetic bearing module.

This method cannot be automated, and is therefore difficult to replicate, laborious, and unreliable.

The PCB method, in which the enameled wires can be soldered directly to the printed circuit board or to a pin passing through the board, requires that the cables can also be soldered directly or via a connector with through-hole pins, all of which must be held in place with screw or crimped fasteners, and generally additional overmoulding for mechanical protection and/or electrical insulation.

This method is particularly costly because it requires complex production steps and tools, and prevents modular design of the production tools, which are specific to one PCB design.

The present disclosure aims to propose a magnetic bearing module whose assembly can be carried out on an automated line in a robotic station, significantly reducing the time to produce the module, while allowing dimensional adaptation of the production tools according to the desired dimensions of the magnetic bearing modules.

The present disclosure also eliminates the need for overmoulding or impregnation for additional mechanical and/or electrical protection of the PCB to which the enameled winding wire is directly soldered or connected, operations that are time-consuming and delicate due to the use of chemicals and the time needed for baking and cleaning.

The present disclosure has for object alleviating at least some of the aforementioned drawbacks and proposing a cable routing support for a radial actuator for a magnetic bearing module that is rapid, simple and reliable over a wide range of magnetic bearing dimensions.

Given the foregoing, the present disclosure has for object a routing support for a cable, intended to be assembled onto a radial actuator for a magnetic bearing module. The radial actuator for a magnetic bearing module includes an arrangement of coils disposed around a central axis and an insulation displacement contact. The routing support includes a routing track for the cable and openings configured to enable insertion of the cable in the insulation displacement contact through some of the openings when the routing support is positioned facing the radial actuator for the magnetic bearing module. The routing track is formed on two opposite faces of the routing support by at least one plurality of protuberances and/or serigraphs configured to define bearing surfaces for the cable for routing it along the routing support.

This routing track simplifies the radial actuator production process by using standard insulation displacement contacts, precise coil positioning with keying, and a lightweight, easy-to-implement cable routing support that eliminates the need for complex chemical processes, improves the thermal and chemical resistance of the cable and the coils of the module, and enables faster and more environmentally friendly modular production with limited error risk.

Above all, this method of pre-wiring the routing support coupled with the insulation displacement contact technology drastically reduces the time required for the very time-consuming connection steps, making the production process more reliable and automatable but above all flexible to demand since the production of this support, which is modular in terms of length and cable dimensions, makes it possible to increase the number of references compatible with the same support for more or less lengthy wiring installed in the same way on this support.

The routing support preferably includes at least one notch forming a passage for the cable from one face to the other of the routing support. Such a notch enables correct and reliable positioning of the cable as it passes from face to the other of the routing support.

The notch advantageously has a variable section in such a manner as to retain the cable by squeezing it. Such a configuration further improves correct and reliable positioning of the cable as it passes from one face to the other of the routing support.

The routing support preferably includes at least one retaining slot configured to retain the cable by squeezing it for its insertion in the insulation displacement contact through the opening. Such a retaining groove favours correct positioning of the cable during its insertion into the insulation displacement contact through the opening, thus facilitating assembly of the routing support onto the radial actuator.

For example, the routing support includes two retaining slots placed on respective opposite sides of the opening. Such a configuration guarantees optimal positioning of the cable.

The routing support advantageously includes clipping hooks intended to cooperate with locking lugs on the radial actuator. Such a configuration guarantees retention of the assembly of the routing support on the radial actuator.

In another aspect, the present disclosure has for object an assembly comprising a routing support as defined hereinabove and a cable disposed on the routing track of the routing support. Such a prewired assembly simplifies the production process.

In another aspect, the present disclosure has for object a magnetic bearing module including a radial actuator coupled to the magnetic bearing and an assembly as defined hereinabove assembled onto the radial actuator.

The cable of the magnetic bearing module is preferably retained by squeezing it during its insertion in the insulation displacement contact.

The insulation displacement contact is advantageously housed at least in part in the opening that enables insertion of the cable in the insulation displacement contact. This configuration favours retention of the cable in position and correct relative positioning of the routing support of the radial actuator.

As represented ina routing supportaccording to the present disclosure for a cableincludes a routing track for the cableand openings.

The routing supportis configured to be assembled onto a radial actuatorfor a magnetic bearing(). The radial actuatorincludes an arrangement of coilsdisposed around a central axis X and an insulation displacement contactseen in particular in. It is to be noted that identical or similar elements bear the same references from one figure to another.

The openingsare configured to allow insertion of the cablein the insulation displacement contactthrough some of the openingswhen the routing supportis positioned facing the radial actuator.

Each openingis formed on the routing supportby open protuberancesdisposed on a rear faceof the routing support. Each openingis of rectangular shape for example so as to accommodate the shape of the insulation displacement contact.

The routing track for the cableis formed on two opposite sides of the routing support, namely on the rear faceand on a front face. The routing track for the cableis formed by at least one plurality of protuberancesand/or serigraphs configured to delimit bearing surfaces for the cablefor routing it along the routing support. The opposite faces,delimit the thickness of the routing support. The protuberancesand/or serigraphs are arranged to form the routing track, which extends over all or part of the circumference of the plate formed by the routing support.

The protuberancesand/or serigraphs of each routing track are for example spaced relative to one another over the circumference of the plate formed by the routing support, which makes it possible to limit the quantity of material used and to reduce the weight of the part.

The protuberancesand/or serigraphs for each track are preferably arranged so as to retain the cableby two of its sides, which enables optimal retention despite the successive different orientations of the cable.

By “cable” is interchangeably meant one or more flexible cables passing in or intended to pass in the routing track and including, for example, an enamelled wire and/or a multistrand cable.

The routing supportcan include a plurality of routing tracks for a plurality of cablesand the protuberancesand/or serigraphs of each routing track are arranged so as to retain the cabledisposed on this routing track laterally and on its two sides.

The protuberancesare for example complemented by serigraphs projecting on the same face of the routing supportto assist routing the cablealong the routing support.

There is therefore formed an assembly comprising a routing supportand a cabledisposed on the routing track of the support, the length of which can be adapted when it is installed on the routing supportwithout altering the efficacy of this step of producing a magnetic bearing module.

Such a magnetic bearing modulehas the advantage of making it easy to reduce the number of variants of the design of the routing support, unlike prior art modules including a fixed printed circuit in which it is not possible to modify the length of the electrical connections from the printed circuit to the exterior system.

The routing supporttherefore makes it possible to have a cableor a bundle of cablesof the required final length already equipped with its connectors as a function of the required version and therefore to have varied lengths and connector references, whereas the systems known from the prior art do not allow modular cable lengths.

This routing supportequipped with a routing track is modular since it can be mounted on any support having the same interfaces, namely the same distances between the axes of the pins and the same positions of the coilsand the insulation displacement contacts.

Since the coilsare common to substantially all sizes this routing supportcan also be produced homothetically with different sizes to adapt to what is required, retaining the ratio of the insulation displacement contactsand adapting the routing.

The routing supportadvantageously includes at least one notchformed on the exterior surface of the routing supportand forming a passage for the cableleading from one face,of the routing supportto the other.

The notchpreferably has a varying section that decreases in the radial direction toward the interior of the routing supportso as to retain the cableby squeezing it. Here, the notcheshave a Y-shaped section. Alternatively, it remains possible to use varying sections having other shapes.

As can be seen inin particular, the routing supportincludes at least one retaining slotconfigured to retain the cableby squeezing it in order to insert it in the insulation displacement contactthrough the opening.

The slotsenable the cableto be squeezed to guarantee its positioning and retention during its insertion in the insulation displacement contact.

The routing supportincludes for example two retaining slotsplaced on either side of the openingon the protuberancesdelimiting the openingso as to retain the cableon either side of the insulation displacement contactin a manner that is symmetrical and therefore precise, stable, durable and reliable.

As can be seen inin particular the routing support includes clipping hooksintended to cooperate with locking lugson the radial actuator. Such clipping means enable robust fixing of the routing supporton the radial actuatorand guarantee the integrity of the connections during subsequent assembly and/or storage phases.

The coilsof the radial actuatorare positioned around a substantially concentric circular assembly at precise radial distances relative to the centre of the circular assembly and also at precise angular positions, since such positioning makes it possible to place the insulation displacement contactat strategic locations to receive the cableto which the electrical connection to the coilsmust be made.

The radial actuatorcan therefore include a plurality of insulation displacement contactsand cablesconnected to one or more routing tracks of the routing support.

The cablecan also include at least in part the wire that is wound onto each spool to form the coilsand then routed to at least one openingto make a connection to an insulation displacement contactby insertion therein.

The routing track therefore enables each cableto be routed along the intended path thanks to the shapes on the routing support.